Annual Member Meeting Focuses on Ways the Healthcare Delivery System Can Put Patients First

WASHINGTON, DC, May 30, 2013

As Americans continue to tackle rising healthcare costs, many experts see integrating services from a variety of healthcare providers - also known as coordinated care - as part of the solution to handling costly, complex or chronic health conditions. Recently the more than 35 professional membership organizations of the Coalition for Patients' Rights (CPR) gathered at its annual meeting to spotlight and share updates on their efforts to promote smart approaches to coordinated care that keep patients front and center.

Speaking at CPR's meeting were Pamela H. Mitchell and Robert McNellis, two of the authors of the Institute of Medicine's discussion paper "Core Principles and Values of Effective Team-Based Health Care." Jane Kapustin, assistant dean for the Master's and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Programs at the University of Maryland School of Nursing and published author on team-based care discussed the success of the University of MD Diabetes Center in Baltimore's team-based care approach to diabetes management. Additionally, Kavita Patel from the Brookings Institution spoke about accountable care organizations (ACOs).

"What is exciting about ACOs and team-based care is how they have the potential to re-emphasize that patients - not a care provider - are at the center of a healthcare team," said Janet Deppe, a spokesperson for CPR, which represents more than 3 million licensed and certified health professionals who are not medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy, and director, state advocacy for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "Instead of being confined by traditional roles and responsibilities, these models treat all healthcare providers as equal partners in meeting the needs of patients and encourage them to develop a deep understanding of and respect for the contributions other care providers bring to the team in achieving good patient outcomes."

"But a key element to successful coordinated care is every healthcare professional being able to practice to the full extent of their training, licensure and certification," commented Deppe. "Unfortunately, we are once again seeing a large number of bills introduced in state legislatures this year that are supported by medical societies and intended to restrict the practice of non-M.D./D.O. healthcare professionals." CPR encourages states to modernize state practice laws to enable all healthcare professionals to practice to the full extent of their ability, training, certification and licensure.

"These out-of-date practice laws are negatively affecting patients as well," continued Deppe. "Many patients face challenges accessing the care provided by qualified health professionals like psychologists, naturopathic physicians, and physical therapists because their scope of practices have been unnecessarily restricted so they are practicing beneath their education, training and qualifications. By adopting forward-thinking approaches based on coordinated care practices, healthcare providers can ensure patients come first."

About the Coalition for Patients' Rights
A national coalition of more than 35 professional membership organizations, the Coalition for Patients' Rights (CPR) represents more than three million licensed and certified healthcare professionals and is committed to ensuring comprehensive healthcare choices for all patients. Formed in 2006, the Coalition supports a patient's right to choose the healthcare professional who best meets their health needs. To that end, the CPR advocates for the ability of all healthcare professionals to practice to the full extent of their ability, training, certification and licensure and works to ensure that transparent, patient-centered scope of practice guidelines promote consumer access to safe, high-quality and cost-effective healthcare.

The Coalition is comprised of a diverse array of healthcare professionals, including registered nurses, naturopathic doctors, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, marriage and family therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, advanced practice registered nurses (certified registered nurse anesthetists, nurse practitioners, certified nurse-midwives and clinical nurse specialists), foot and ankle surgeons and chiropractors. To view a full list of members and learn more about the Coalition, visit http://www.patientsrightscoalition.org.